"Sliding glass doors" or "sliding doors" are terms commonly used for wall closures comprising a pair of generally transparent panels where one panel is fixed adjacent to a surface such as a wall or door jamb and the other panel is slideable in a track parallel and adjacent to the fixed panel. The doors are considered "closed" when the slideable panel has been moved as far as possible along the track in a direction away from the fixed panel and abuts the wall wherein the panels are set. In the closed position the panels generally overlap somewhat and form a substantially continuous surface with the wall. The doors are "open" to various degrees or "partially closed" when the slideable panel is anywhere along the track other than in the position where it abuts the wall away from the fixed panel, and the panels no longer form a continuous surface with the wall.
Such sliding panel pairs generally comprise one of two types. A first type is known as an inside-sliding door. This type of pair is one wherein the fixed panel defines a plane closer to the outside of the building in a wall of which the panel/jamb assembly is mounted. The plane defined by the sliding panel is closer to the inside of the building.
The second type of assembly is referred to as an outside-sliding door. In this assembly, the fixed panel defines a plane closer to the inside of the building. Conversely, the sliding panel defines a plane closer to the outside of the building.
Locks for panels such as sliding glass doors are frequently located in the door frame or wall edge which contacts the slideable panel when the doors are closed. Many of these locks do not provide positive locking and can be broken by leverage. Therefore, another style of lock is also commonly used particularly in the case of inside sliding door panels. This style comprises a bar or rod, for example, a broom handle, placed in the track when the doors are closed. By blocking the track, the bar can prevent the sliding door from sliding open. This type of lock is not subject to being broken by leverage. However, this bar type lock can be inconvenient because it generally requires stooping to place it correctly in the track or to remove it. Further, it can be difficult to guide it into the track or to lift it from the track because the track can be narrow. A further problem with this bar type lock is that the length of the bar will determine the only possible position at which the door can be locked, for example, fully closed.
Another type of locking bar for sliding doors is exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,328,920 (Cohen). This type of locking bar can be pivotally mounted on the door jamb abutting the fixed panel. When the sliding glass doors are to be locked closed, the bar can be swung into position across the fixed panel and held against the edge of the slideable panel, thus preventing the panel from sliding and the door from opening. When the door is to be opened, the bar is swung up away from the edge of the slideable panel into a position next to the door jamb which abuts the fixed panel, allowing the slideable panel to slide freely in its track. With this type of locking bar, the doors can only be locked in a single, non-variable position, for example, fully closed. If it is desirable to leave the door open somewhat, even only slightly, the locking bar will be of no use to prevent further opening of the door.
The present invention provides a locking apparatus for both inside and outside sliding doors which can be free from breakage by leverage. Additionally, the locking apparatus can accomodate the panel in an infinite number of positions ranging from partially closed to fully closed.
The lock can be convenient and easy to use. If the panel is locked in a partially closed position, the locking apparatus can prevent further opening of the panel, while freely allowing the panel to slide to a more closed position. If the panel is moved to a more closed position while the locking bar is in place, the bar will automatically lock the panel in the new position.
The panel can be moved to a more open position while the bar is in place if a release member on the bar is activated. Again, when the panel has reached the desired position, the bar will automatically lock it at that point.